8 The Night

Eventually Sullen barely resembled a human being. His legs and arms were abstract versions of limbs and the was a bloody hole between his legs with an important organ missing.

Finally the girl with fiery red hair turned around and one could see the blood staining her pure white skin. Seeing the tall dark man leaning against the carriage watching her lips formed a shy smile.

"Did you see all of that?" She said slyly, her emerald eyes sparkling.

"I like seeing justice served as it should," he said smiling. Reaching into the carriage he pulled out the staff and the backpack. The stone was no longer glowing since it's master had taken his last breath.

He inspected the bag, realizing it was what a magical bag he put the staff inside.

"They won't be needing these anymore, but they might be useful later." He said throwing the bag over his shoulder.

"Now you poor creatures" he said approaching the horse. Who were terrified, but had blinders on their bridles so they didn't see anything that happened.

"Help me take these off," he said nonchalantly. She wanted to help the horses but she just realized she didn't have any clothes on and abruptly became very self conscious. She looked around for something to wear first thinking of taking something off the carriage driver.

'His cloak should still be in the carriage.' She said thought to herself as she tried to walk to it. Instead her feet walked towards the horses and her hands started taking off the harnesses. At first her mind was confused by her bodies unconditionally actions.

'The curse,' she thought peaking around the horses to see the glowing blue on his arms.

"Umm," Sionna cleared her throat, unsure of what to say. "Could I put some clothes on first?" She said hiding behind a horse as her hands kept undoing buckles.

"Of course, you don't need my permission." He said causally, freeing one of the horses that went to munch on some grass.

"Well...." she said nervously now getting control of her arms again. "Actually, I think I do," she sighed tracing the markings on her shoulder blade.

He looked over the horses at the small women on the other side, then down at his own arm.

"Hum, well I guess we will have to figure out how to undo this curse. Until then get dressed in whatever you can find."

Promptly she went to the carriage and dropped it over her shoulders. And poked her arms out of the holes. Her whole body was now covered by the black cloak. Except for her hair which spilled out of the black fabric like vines emerging from the woods.

She then went back to helping him with the horses. When there were all free he stood on one side of the road and starting swinging his arms and shouting the alarmed horses all ran away down the road. Stomping up dust in their path.

"Well little fox, would you like to head home?" And Sionna thought of her cozy little den.

"It's this way," he said pointing towards a mountain.

"My homes that way," she said pointing in the opposite direction to the flatter part of the woods.

"Yes but we have to stick together now," he said smiling. "And besides I probably don't fit in a fox den." His white teeth made his smile bright in the soft moons light.

Unsure what else to do she bit her lip. 'I guess he's right I don't have a choice.'

He pulled the bag off his shoulder and set it down, "do you want to keep the cloak?" He asked pointing that she should put it in the bag.

"No, it smells like that creep," she said looking over at the mangled body.

"Fair enough," he smiled as his body started to change, ripping apart the brown pants he was wearing.

Sionna did the same, but had to crawl out from under a mess of black fabric.

She looked at the all black wolf with glowing blue eyes and a strange blue mark adoring his right front leg.

She wondered if her fur now had a mark on it from the curse.

'Let's go' a voice said in her mind, at first she was startled. Then she realized it as the wolf's.

'Can you hear me?' She thought, the wolf gave her a sharp toothy grin as he picked up the bag with his mouth.

'Of course,' he said heading into the night.

Sionna was a little reluctant to follow him but realistically she had no choice.